Vibrant Hearts
by witchedly
Summary: In the region of Kalos, two strangers in neighboring towns leave home on adventures at the same time. Follow Luna, the daughter of a flower farmer, and Sonny, a skilled carpenter, as they explore the incredible world of Pokémon and discover that their paths are ultimately entwined. Rated M for mature themes, light violence, and language.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: I do not own any Pokémon content. This story is set in the Pokémon universe, specifically in the region of Kalos. I try to stay as accurate as possible to the Pokémon universe as I can, although there will be some things that I created or changed for this story (i.e the geographical map of Kalos will be larger and include more locations than the anime/game). The characters are almost all my original characters, but there will be some easter eggs in there. If anyone spots any grammatical mistakes please feel free to send me a message/review (commas especially) – it is greatly appreciated!

(May 5, 2017) Important Notice: For those of you who have already read my story, I hit a wall last year and stopped posting. There were too many things that didn't make sense to me regarding the overall plot. I have done a huge overhaul to edit the entire thing. It is still the same story. Almost everything has been edited, and the structure is slightly different, as well as some characters. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it was required for the story to move forward. Still hope you enjoy!

* * *

 _Luna_

The sun rose on a crisp morning in Kalos, slowly unveiling Violetta Town, Aquacorde's closest neighbor. A thin layer of fog masked the small village and its outlying farms. The haze faded as the sun reached a large, isolated farmhouse surrounded by flower gardens.

The building was decades old; the two story, stone-brick building had egg-white window frames, a charming, lived in feel, and a red asphalt shingle roof. Vines had claimed most of the walls, stretching their reach into every crevice. From the sky, the red roof was a dot compared to their vast, vivid gardens. A row of turquoise greenhouses lay off to the side, filled with all sorts of tropical and local plant-life. A wooden sign reading ' _Flouette's Flowers_ ' hung over the front door of their farmhouse. It swung gently in the breeze, the hinges creaking softly.

All the windows were silent and dark except for one on the second floor. Sheer, cream curtains fluttered in the breeze from an open window. A pair of tawny-beige legs hung out, belonging to the young lady perched on her window seat.

The girl rotated her ankles, bumping the back of her heels against the side of the house. Waves of her curly hair hung past her shoulders as she intently read a pokézine. She played with the edge of a page passively before turning it. The article she was reading sported a photograph of a pokémon and its trainer decked in lavish costumes. It depicted both in the heat of motion, dancing on a stage.

Golden light touched Luna's toes, and she looked up from her reading. The sun had finally caught up to her, as she had been awake for hours. She had always had trouble sleeping and could function on a few hours of sleep a night. She didn't mind so much, as she loved watching the sunlight creep over the dewy flower beds, revealing her personal rainbow.

"Mum'll be up soon," Luna murmured to herself, allowing a moment more to enjoy the peace and quiet. The sea of light reached her face, illuminating her clear, gray eyes. She blinked her long lashes until she couldn't stand the brightness and turned around to slip off the window seat.

Luna's bed dominated the room. She had several comforters sprawled across it, some bunched into makeshift pillows. Rows of pokézines sat neatly organized on her bookshelf. It was a generally tidy room, aside from stray socks abandoned on the floor. The soft pink walls reflected onto the beige carpet, creating a warm, rosy glow. The tall, white framed window clicked as she pushed it closed. Sunlight blinked at her through the glass, and somewhere below she thought she saw a floette peek up from an indigo flower patch.

Luna stripped her pajamas and grabbed some dirt dusted jeans and a pink tank top from her laundry pile. Dressing quickly, she slipped out of her room and tiptoed down the stairs.

"Odd-ISH!" An oddish who was pattering by innocently shrieked at the sight of Luna's bare feet overhead. He jumped, the blades of grass on his head sticking up straight. Luna grabbed the railing and came to a halt on the balls of her feet.

"Oh, Oddish, I'm sorry!" Luna gasped, biting her lip. Oddish stamped his small, blue feet and glared at her. The round, blue pokémon occasionally wandered into the house through the pokédoor, seeking tidbits in the kitchen. "I'm sorry, I am." She crouched, balancing on her toes, and reached out a finger. Oddish pouted, but let her gently stroke the leaves sprouting from the crown of his head. "I'll bring you an extra snack when I come out as an apology, okay?"

"Ish, Ish!" Oddish chirped, pleased with her offering. He trotted away, and Luna shook her head with a smile. She turned her attention to the kitchen doorway. Her mother would have said something if she was there. It wouldn't hurt to try and sneak a coffee before heading outside. She took one step into the blue and white decorated room before she caught sight of her mother stirring milk into a full mug. Spinning on her heel, she tried to escape but it was too late.

"Good morning!" Her mother said cheerfully, and Luna grimaced.

"Morning Mum."

"Your chores can wait. Have a coffee." She slid a pretty ceramic mug across the table, and set the milk and sugar down beside it. Luna reluctantly sat down, scooting her chair forward. She scooped a spoonful of sugar into the cup and stirred absently. Steam curled around Luna's face as she raised it to take a tiny sip. Long, curled strands of her hair tickled her neck, and she brushed them away.

Her mother leaned against the counter, the white light shining in from behind her. Potted houseplants sat in a row on the windowsill, their slender leaves stretching up to soak in the morning sun. Luna always wondered at how her mother could look stunning even in a ratty pink housecoat. Rita Flouette had caramel blonde hair, round, grey eyes, and perpetually rose-tinted, fair skin. Her soft, straight bangs hid most of her eyebrows, and a loose braid hung down her back.

"Don't look so mopey Luna." Rita scolded lightly. "Today's the day!" Luna bobbed her head, sucking in her bottom lip. "I know you're nervous, but it'll go away once you catch your first pokémon." Rita looked wise as she crossed one arm and sipped her drink. Luna sank a bit lower, avoiding eye contact.

"Does it have to be today?" Luna asked quietly.

"Yes, yes it does! We agreed, remember?" Rita swept around the kitchen collecting eggs, milk, and a cup of flour in one hand without spilling her coffee. "Your father and I will see you off after breakfast. Maybe you'll have better luck if you go without us. A big group might scare the wild pokémon away."

Guilt squirmed in Luna's stomach, and she twined her hands together. "What if I don't catch one today? Last year we didn't find anything."

"Not to worry!" Rita swept out of the kitchen, and when she returned she held a black pokéball with a golden stripe and button in her hand. "It took a bit longer to find, but we had this custom made for you sweetheart." She handed it to Luna, whose mouth had dropped open in surprise.

The guilt doubled in her chest, and she felt sick. "It's a luxury ball, but has a higher catch rate. Any pokémon that goes in here will definitely never want to leave." Rita winked. The exquisite, glossy ball had red and gold stripes across the top and fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. Luna stared at it.

"Mum..." Luna said, her cinnamon-brown eyebrows raised. "This is too much." Rita paused between cracking eggs on a bowl and rolled her eyes.

"Sweetheart, it is not too much! You're twenty years old. Most people get their first pokémon when they're ten! You're always reading those pokézines, and you get along great with every pokémon you meet. I just don't understand why you're not more excited."

Luna simply shrugged and ran a finger over the golden button.

"I'm just tired," she replied, forcing a smile. Rita smiled back fondly and turned her focus to whisking eggs. Luna pushed away from the table with her free hand, placed the ball down, and headed outside to start her chores. The luxury ball rolled a bit from side to side on the table before coming to a stop.

* * *

The Flouettes had a ten-acre property that Rita had inherited from her great aunt. At least four acres were forest, which they had left untouched. The rest was devoted to their flower business. Exotic plants grew in their greenhouses, berry bushes took up the back field, and endless flower gardens were nestled in anywhere they could fit. Floettes floated about the gardens, happily tending to their beloved flowers. Some were her mother's pokémon, and some were wild who simply loved their farm.

Sweet, floral fragrance filled the air, and Luna breathed it in deeply. Her shoes crunched on twigs and bits of dry grass. It hadn't rained for days, which meant there was plenty of watering to do. Luna gathered her long, dark blonde hair and tied it up into a ponytail. It bounced as she walked, the lighter, bronzed strands giving the illusion of wildfire. She rubbed her wrist, thinking about what her mother had said.

Back when Luna was just a weed, and could hardly open the fridge, she'd pranced into her first day of school. All the kids had their pokémon there with them, mostly grass, bug, or fairy types. Their town was known for its flora and fauna, and was a prime location for catching all sorts of rare grass and fairy Pokémon. Without a pokémon at her side, Luna had gotten some weird looks, but it blew over quickly. She got along so well with any pokémon she met that they all forgot she didn't have one of her own. It wasn't so easy as she got older though.

Every year on her birthday, her mother would wrap a pokéball and stick a pretty bow on top, and every year Luna would fake surprise when she unwrapped it. Then they'd have their family outing of going out into the tall grass. When she was little, she enjoyed spending time with her parents and seeing all the kinds of pokémon in the forests and fields; once she saw a wild treecko climbing a tree trunk.

After a few years of fruitless searching, the family outings had become tiresome. Her parents' encouragement and over-enthusiastic smiles irked her. Whenever they came across a potential pokémon Luna would throw the pokéball and miss by a mile, or develop a 'stomach-ache' and urgently head for home.

Luna scooped portions of pokémon food into bowls just outside their red barn. The kibble was dark brown with bits of green mixed in. Her dad specially ordered it to suit their pokémons' needs. She scraped out the rest of the food and set the empty bag down against the barn wall.

There was one time, one of the first times that Luna's parents had taken her out to find a pokémon, that Luna would never forget. She thought about it every year.

As a kid, she couldn't see over the tall grass as they waded through it. Her dad had led the way, and her mother followed. They moved quietly, pausing when they heard the grass ruffle. Finally, they'd exited the tall grass, and a green and brown chespin sat with his back against a tree. He ate from a pile of berries with gusto, unaware of their presence. Luna's mother had gently nudged her, nodding. Luna had pulled out a pokéball, certain this would be the time she wouldn't go home empty handed.

She'd raised the pokéball over her head, ready to throw, when another pokémon emerged from the woods. It was a paras, a little orange grass type pokémon with mushrooms growing out of its back. It approached the chespin, and they greeted each other happily. Chespin patted the ground beside him, offering the paras a spot.

It had struck Luna that the wild chespin had friends, a family, and a home. She'd looked up at her father's bearded face, smiling down at her, and was inwardly horrified at the idea of someone taking her away from her parents. Shocked by the realization, she'd thrown the pokéball at the tree behind the chespin. The two pokémon had jumped, and, seeing the three strangers, ran away. Each time she picked up a pokéball she would picture the frightened expression that had crossed the chespin's face, and her stomach would turn over.

Luna leaned against the table, sighing. Her parents' pokémon, along with the wild ones, gathered around the table to dig in to their breakfast. Oddish pushed his way through the small crowd, chirping insistently at Luna. She smiled and pulled a special treat out of her pocket. She held it out, and the oddish hopped up, snatching it away. His leaves swooshed back and forth as he waddled towards the barn.

She had plenty of exposure to pokémon and didn't disapprove of people for catching them. Lots of kids were given a pokémon by their parents, or adopted them from the pokécenters, but the opportunity had never been there for her. Her parents always said that catching your first pokémon was an incredibly rewarding experience, and it developed character. It didn't help that Luna had never voiced her feelings. She had assumed one day she would get over it. She moaned, rubbing a hand over her face, and said, "What is wrong with me?"

Luna had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hadn't noticed a young woman accompanied by an ivysaur strolling up their gravel driveway. The pair approached Luna, reaching her just as she moaned aloud. The girl held a hand up to cover her smile.

"Well, you're easy to sneak up on, for one," the girl said. Luna squeaked, her legs almost giving out, but she caught herself on the table. She laughed nervously, turning around. As she did her eyes widened.

"Meera! Your hair...it's green!" Meera ran a hand through her long hair, and she grinned. Meera had a pretty heart-shaped face and a charming smile. Her bangs were cut just above her almond-shaped brown eyes.

"I got it done at a salon in Lumiose!" Meera said excitedly. She spun around, and her hair moved like a wave of green silk. Luna's automatically patted down her own wildfire ponytail. "They massage special dye into your scalp. It's like a spa treatment. They even did some for Ivy!" She gestured to her Pokémon, and Luna inspected her bulb. The usual, deep green was tinted with shades of violet.

"Wow!" Luna bent over, holding a hand out to the seed pokémon. Ivysaur nuzzled Luna's hand. The blue pokémon had short legs with sparse, dark patches and tropical leaves growing out from under the bud on her back. It was a full, almost blooming flower, and Ivysaur was as high as Luna's hips. She was bigger than the last time Luna had seen her. "You look beautiful Ivy!"

"Oh, happy birthday by the way!" Meera exclaimed, pulling Luna into a quick hug. Luna had celebrated on the day with her family. Her mother had made a feast big enough for her aunt, uncle, and cousins to enjoy. The entire day had passed in a blur of her little cousins racing around the farm, lemon squares, and laughing. She'd been relieved to not see a pokéball shaped gift until her mother brought up postponing it. "I'm honestly so busy in Lumiose, I can hardly keep my head on straight. Sorry I didn't call!"

"Thanks! It's fine," Luna replied, pulling away and smiling. Meera Joy had been Luna's friend for as long as she could remember. Whereas Luna had always been quiet and shy, Meera was the opposite. She'd been battling her friends since the first day she got her bulbasaur. Luna had always admired how outgoing she was and wasn't at all surprised when she left Violetta town to become a full-fledged pokémon trainer.

"So-o, did you want to hang out with me today?" Meera asked in a light tone. Luna gave her a look and continued stroking Ivysaur. Ivysaur hummed happily, plopping her butt down.

"Don't think I don't know why you're here," Luna said pointedly. Meera blinked and held up her hands innocently.

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about! I'm just here to visit my very good friend! It has been over a year since I've seen you."

"No-o," Luna contradicted, shaking her head. "You're here as bait to get me excited about my yearly pilgrimage. I saw the berries in the fridge. Did she bait you with cobbler?"

"Maybe." Meera giggled, dropping the charade. "You're half right. Your mom called, and asked me to go with you today, and I think it's a great idea! I still don't understand why you don't have your own pokémon yet." When Luna didn't offer any sign of answering Meera continued. "But I also wanted to see you! And maybe convince you to come stay with me in Lumiose City!" She grinned expectantly, her eyebrows raised high.

"What?" The thought seemed too big for Luna's brain, and she shook it off. "No, no way. I can't leave!"

"But you can!" Meera said, waving off Luna's objection. "It'll be just like before I left! I have an apartment, and it's totally awesome. You can stay with me as long as you want, and we can hang out all the time!"

"I don't know what my parents will say," Luna replied hesitantly. Her friend's eyes sparkled.

"I have a feeling they won't mind," she said, winking. "Besides, they had adventures when they were young too. Just come with me today! I promise it'll make you change your mind!" Meera bit her lip, dancing in place. Luna was fond of Oddish, the floettes, and all the other pokémon she grew up with. The little fairy pokémon gingerly nibbled at the kibble, their long green lashes fluttering. Her mother's butterfree, Aishell, swooped down to land. Her large wings swayed as she scooped up a handful of food into her blue paws, holding it close to her purple body. She looked at Luna with her big, red eyes and then took off. A trail of sparkling pollen was left behind.

Luna recognized that dangerous shine in Meera's eyes. She wouldn't give up until Luna conceded. She half smiled, and said, "Okay. I'll think about it!"

"Yay!" Meera exclaimed, spinning in a circle and dancing around Ivysaur. The grass pokémon reached out one of her vines, and Meera danced with it. "You're going to love it! I have something special planned, just for you!" She winked. "You'll be begging to come with me to Lumiose City by the end of today!"

Luna's heartbeat quickened, and a little part of her got excited. It was the tiny part that loved reading about the news around the world and imagined what it would be like to travel.

"I'll go say hi to your parents," Meera called back to her, strolling in the direction of the house. "And maybe taste test that cobbler!" She waved, and Luna waved back, watching her go. Meera had changed so much in the time she'd been gone. She sported knee-high green socks and heeled brown boots on her long legs. Her forest green shorts matched her fitted jacket. Wearing nice clothes wasn't a change for Meera, but Luna could see a difference in the way she walked. She looked like a real trainer.

Luna turned away, her chest hurting from her mixed-up feelings. She wanted more. She wanted her own pokémon.

"Pokémon aren't things," she mumbled to herself. "How can I just take them away from everything they know?"

* * *

The floor inside the red barn was a thick carpet of grass; it was a barn Luna's dad had specifically designed for their pokémon. It kept them out of the weather, and they could make whatever nests or beds they wanted to. Luna plucked the few spiky weeds growing before picking up the hose to water the floor.

A tree had grown up through the roof, which they had never bothered to repair. Sunlight streamed through the cracks, decorating the walls and lawn with golden specks. Oddish had nestled underneath a large fern, dozing off with a full, rotund belly. Luna sprinkled a soft mist over him with the hose, and he smiled lazily, drooling. He rolled onto his belly and dug out the soft dirt underneath him with his feet. He snuggled in until he was fully covered, and all you could see were his leaves poking out. Oddish slept through most of the day, absorbing nutrients.

"Goofball." Luna chuckled. She turned to the large wooden stall in the corner and groaned.

Inside the old stall was her father's first Pokémon; an ancient, mean victreebell. Luna swore it was going to die any day now, but she still had to water it occasionally. It had been a few days, so she stalked over reluctantly. She peeked over the side. The stall was full of overgrown, leafy plants. As usual, Victreebell smelled like honey, which came from its sweet-smelling saliva. It would lie still, and the smell would attract prey. Luna shuddered. That honey-like fluid was actually an acid that could dissolved its food.

The stall also had a funky smell, and it made Luna think of a kid hiding in his basement for days playing video games and eating junk food. In the corner, she saw an expanse of yellow, half hidden. "There you are," she whispered. Moving slowly, she raised the hose and set it to 'Stream'. She ducked her head behind the wall and held down the trigger.

"VIC-VICTREEBELL?!" Victreebell shrieked, and Luna blindly sprayed as Victreebell used vine whip. Its tendrils lashed all over the stall trying to grab her, but she managed to avoid them. The intense stream of water assaulted Victreebell's front, and he wailed, waving his leaves around. The yellow bell-shaped pokémon rolled around, too lazy to get up as the spray washed him down.

"I'M SORRY!" She yelled. A vine whipped close to her head and she frantically sprayed down the rest of the stall. "YOU NEED WATER! STOP IT!"

* * *

Luna emerged from the barn dripping with water. Meera was leaning next to the front door of the house with Ivysaur and burst into laughter at the sight of Luna's dripping mess. Luna flicked her fingers in Meera's direction.

"Laugh it up," she said, spritzing her friend.

"I'm sorry. I'm just happy I'm not the one watering that old grump." Meera held up a couple of boxed lunches. "Your mom provided lunch. Let's go!"

"I just have to change first." Luna wiped her face, blinking water from her eyes. "Mum and Dad will wanna say bye too. This is the first time I'm going without them." Ivysaur helped wipe some of the water off her arms using her vines. "Thanks Ivy."

Luna ran inside and up the stairs to her room, water droplets trailing her on the floor. She pulled open a dresser drawer. She grabbed a pair of faded maroon jeans and a clean crop top with soft pink, blue, and white stripes. She thought about what Meera had said as she pulled the shirt over her head.

 _I've never been to the city_ , Luna thought. She pictured busy streets and coffee shops. She'd gone once with her parents, but she'd been little and couldn't remember it. Everyone knew you couldn't travel without your own pokémon. It was far too dangerous, especially if you went alone. She shoved it out of her mind and stared out the bright window. She would just have to focus on the day ahead of her.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Introducing our second main character, Sonny Booker! The chapter is a bit brief, but there's lots more to come! As clarification, Balueville and Violetta town are both fictional. They don't exist in the Pokémon universe.

(May 5, 2017) Important notice: To anyone who has previously read my story; I edited the entire thing and am re-posting due to structural changes to the chapters, as well as minor plot changes. My apologies!

* * *

 _Sonny_

On the same morning that Luna sat on her windowsill, watching the sunrise, there was someone else awake at that hour. The town on the opposing side of Aquacorde was Balueville; a small, but bustling place, known for its trades and goods. In Balueville, that sleepless young man was Sonny Booker.

His family's home, a gorgeous hand-built, wooden bungalow, had a workshop attached. The Bookers were the town's carpenters and made excellent quality furniture. Twenty-one year old Sonny had been working with his father since he could hold a tool. Together they had built their home and done work for every person in town. The workshop was brightly lit, and there were the faint sounds of scraping in the morning tranquility. The rest of the neighborhood sat patiently in the dark, waiting for the sun to come up.

Sonny held onto the plane tightly, his leans arms tense as he slid it along the plank of wood set up on the worktable. As he pushed, the wood curled into tightly wound shavings. His dark eyes focused intently on his work and sweat dribbled down the sides of his pale neck. An aipom, the long tail pokémon, hopped up onto the table, offering Sonny a clean rag. Sonny placed the tool down to wipe his slick forehead. Like most of his family he had thick, umber-brown hair that looked almost black in appearance. The sides and back were shorter than the top, which, at that moment, was sticking up awkwardly.

"Thanks Nanner," Sonny said. Nanner hopped up and down, grinning. The monkey-like pokémon had purple fur, a white face, and a long tail with a three-fingered appendage on the end. Aipom used their tails more often than their hands and were quick and clever with them. Sonny's aipom, Nanner, wore a yellow bandanna around his neck. Nanner bobbed his head, sweeping away the wood shavings with his tail. He was Sonny's assistant in the shop. He jumped away, darting to the wall of shelves filled with tools, and climbed it. Taking a moment to think, he selected a palm sander. Grabbing it with his tail-hand, he hopped back down and brought it to Sonny.

Sonny brushed wood dust off his black t-shirt. He was tired...so tired. He rubbed his eyes. He'd tried to go to bed last night but it had been pointless. After three hours of lying there, he'd gotten up and decided to finish a job a couple had commissioned last week. An oak table, specially designed and created from start to finish. He'd only just begun the tabletop. He'd worked with his father for almost his whole life, but he wasn't used to doing the jobs alone yet.

The door creaked open, and Sonny's houndour walked in. He was a black canine-like pokémon, with a light brown belly and muzzle. Houndour had an interesting exoskeleton; a helmet like piece on his forehead, ending before his black, pointed ears; two rib bones on his back; and circular, bone-like bands around his ankles. He blinked blearily at Sonny, who chuckled.

"Finally awake?" He walked over and rubbed Houndour's head. Houndour pawed at Sonny's leg, and he crouched down. "What's up?"

Houndour looked at him sternly and placed a paw on Sonny's hand. "Hooouun," he growled. He had a scraggle tooth that stuck out over his lip, which was so cute it made it hard to take him seriously. Sonny knew better than to say that to Houndour.

"I'm not tired," Sonny said, but the bags under his eyes said otherwise. Houndour looked at him doubtfully, and Sonny sighed. "Okay, I'm a little tired. I'm fine though, really."

Houndour huffed, laying his head down on Sonny's lap. Nanner scurried over, climbed Sonny's back, and wrapped his purple arms around the back of his neck. "Hey, guys, really. I'm okay." The two pokémon regarded him with solemn eyes, and he felt his throat tighten. Someone knocked on the door connecting to the house, and Sonny turned in time to see his little sister, Abigail, open the door. She was wearing her favorite pikachu onesie, hood with ears included. Her long hair stuck out of the hood, framing her sleepy face.

"Sonny…" Abigail said softly, yawning as she did. "There's coffee for you."

"Abigail." Sonny stood up, Nanner perched on his shoulder. "Why are you up?"

"To make coffee for you," she replied, yawning into her hand again. She waited for him, watching with her marbled hazel eyes.

"You didn't have to do that," Sonny said, rushing to the door. "Go back to bed silly." He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. She hugged his side as he walked inside.

"It's okay. I have trouble sleeping too." Abigail had to tilt her head all the way back to look up at Sonny. "I miss Daddy too," she whispered. She blinked away growing tears and a drop clung to her spindly eyelashes. The sight of it nearly made Sonny nearly burst into tears himself, but instead he crouched down to wrap his arms around her. Houndour squeezed in between them, licking Abigail's hands.

"It's gonna be okay," he said, choking on the words. He rubbed her back, and then guided her towards the kitchen. "I'll make you some hot chocolate, okay?"

"Okay." She sniffled, wiping her nose on her pajamas. Houndour walked next to her, bumping the back of her legs with his head. She giggled, and Houndour pounced on her, licking her face until there were no tears left.

The kitchen floor was red tiles, which connected to dark hardwood in the living and dining room. The walls, made of similar dark hardwood, were adorned with wainscoting and intricate trim work. Family pictures scattered throughout the entire house. Sonny did his best not to make direct eye contact with them. He poured the black, steaming coffee into a cup, adding sugar and moo moo milk. He started boiling water for Abigail's hot chocolate and turned to lean against the counter. He took a scalding sip, but didn't really register it.

The gray marble counters shone from his mother's vigilant cleaning. They could afford a maid. She wanted to do it herself, as a way of making it up to Sonny for having to take care of Abigail. He didn't want to think about it. Houndour and his sister played while Nanner scurried around the kitchen getting breakfast ready. The aipom opened the fridge, perched on the top, and used his long tail to grab eggs, bacon, and bread.

"Let me help you," Sonny said, turning on the stove and getting out a pan. Anything to keep him busy. The water boiled, and Sonny mixed hot chocolate mix into it, adding cream to make it thicker. When it was ready, he grabbed whipped cream from the fridge and added a dollop on top. "Here you go kiddo."

"Thanks Sonny," Abigail said sweetly, taking the mug and blowing on it softly. She walked over to the little blue and white table near the living room and sat down. They didn't use the dining room anymore.

Sonny and Nanner made breakfast, and as they did the sun started streaming in from the window. The eggs and bacon crackled, and Nanner carefully turned them. The delicious smells wafted through the kitchen, and Sonny's stomach growled. He stared out the window at the houses across the street from them. The sunlight was bright and golden, and as it washed over Sonny, he wished that it could take away the heaviness in his heart.

He wasn't sure it would ever go away.

* * *

After breakfast, Sonny got Abigail ready for school. Their mother was just waking up, and he heard the water turn on in the washroom connected to her room.

"Mom will bring you to school. I've gotta go downtown later, so I can pick you up when you're done." He stuffed her books and pencil case into her bag, and Houndour brought over the paper bag Nanner had packed her lunch into. "Thanks, Houndour."

"Okay," Abigail said, obediently putting on her socks. She wore a pretty pink dress with a white bow on the back and no sleeves. She'd brushed her own hair, which was dark and straight, like Sonny's. He rustled around her messy vanity until he found a pin with a pink bow on it.

"Here you go." He bent down and frowned as he carefully inserted the pink bow in her hair. He could carve delicate designs into wood with ease, but hair pins took real focus. He bopped her nose playfully after he finished.

They gathered at the door in time for Sally, Sonny's mother, to come rushing in. She was fixing her scarf and smiled at the sight of her children. Sonny's heart drooped a little lower when he noticed she'd been crying again.

"Good morning!" She hugged and kissed them both, her green dress swooshing around her ankles. Sally Booker was a bit shorter than Sonny and had a curvy, plump figure. Her cool brown hair was pinned up on either side, framing her beautiful, melancholy face. "I'm so sorry I wasn't up for breakfast. I'll make supper tonight. You said you were picking up Abigail from school later?"

"I am, don't worry about it, just go. Love you mom." He gave her a hug, and she rubbed his cheek with her thumb. Lately she'd been wearing an expression that was a mixture of shock and a numb smile. He couldn't tell what emotion was in her kind, brown eyes.

"Thank you, Sonny. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The door shut behind them, and Sonny stretched his arms. "Work, work, and more work, huh buddy?" He said to Houndour, smiling a bit. Houndour woofed, trotting towards the garage door. Sonny watched his mother and sister pull out of the driveway and drive off down the street. A plate smashed, and he turned. "Nanner, stop! I'll wash the dishes, just go!"


	3. Chapter 3

Important Notice: Once I catch up to the point where I left off updates won't be as often. Just want to catch back up and post some *new* content for those who have already read my story. Once again, structure has been shifted, and I have edited/rewritten the story. Thanks!

* * *

 _Luna_

"After twenty minutes you'll run into the grove. You remember, we went down that way two years ago." Luna stood in front of her home with her parents and Meera, and Rita was fluttering around her. She stuffed bags of snacks and berries into Luna's old backpack. Luna twisted around, trying to escape.

"Mum, we're not going to be gone all day. I think we've got enough food."

"The berries are in case anything happens. You know what to do with them." Rita sighed and held Luna's face in her hands. Her wide eyes glistened beneath her shiny bangs, and long strands of hair floated in the breeze.

"You're going to do great! Call us if you need anything!" Rita said, kissing Luna's cheek. Luna was then enveloped in one of her father's warm hugs. Jacob Flouette stood at over six feet tall, with broad shoulders and a touch of a belly that hid his time-hardened muscular frame. A mop of gray-streaked, dark curls fell over his eyes. He was Rita's physical opposite in every way, from his towering height to his chestnut-brown complexion. They were both kind and loving, and shared a passionate interest in botany, specifically floriculture. Jacob squeezed Luna tightly.

"We love you, Luna. Be careful," he said, his eyebrows drawing in together. Luna smiled, nodding. She readjusted her backpack, and looked down the path. It led past the barn, all the way back to the woods. "Follow the path!"

"We will!" Meera sang. Luna instantly knew they were not going to be sticking to the path.

"Okay, we're gonna head out! Love you guys! Thank you so much for the pokéball!" Luna held it up and the sun glinted off the black, shiny surface.

* * *

"Ivysaur, use vine whip!" Meera called out. Two long tendrils streaked out from underneath Ivysaur's leaves. They whipped back and forth as blurs of green and cut away the brush blocking their way. They'd been walking for quite some time in the rising heat. They had passed through familiar fields of tall grass and a brief thicket of the Flouette's woods. The farm was long gone, and Luna began to relax. She took a sip of water as Meera took off her satchel and set it next to a tree. They had long left behind the grove which Rita had mentioned; this didn't surprise Luna in the slightest.

"Phew, it's hot." Meera puffed out her cheeks. She removed a pokéball clipped onto her belt and tossed it into the air. "Deerling, come on out!" It snapped open, and the red beam of light revealed Meera's second pokémon.

The small, deer-like pokémon had a white face and legs, and a deep green patch covering his back, head, and neck. A bright, yellow flower bloomed on the top of his head between two, shapely faun ears. Deerling pranced in one spot, his hooves small and dainty. He was just barely taller than Luna's knees.

"Oh, a deerling! He's precious!" Luna's leaned over to get a closer look, her heart melting. Meera stroked Deerling's ears, and the pokémon nibbled at her wrist. "Hi there." Luna crouched down, and held out her hand. Deerling froze, his pointed, black nose twitching wildly. Meera gently nudged his rump with her hand, and he cautiously approached Luna. "Would you like a berry?"

Luna took off her bag and unzipped it. She removed a bag of pink berries and took one out. The mago berry was a pink curled berry with a pale yellow tip. It was curled over almost completely twice. She held her hand out flat, offering it to Deerling. Deerling's nostrils flared wide before accepting the sweet berry. He chewed thoughtfully for a second before squealing happily and stamping his hoof.

"Deerling! Deer, deer!" He visibly warmed up to Luna, nudging her hand politely. Luna placed several more berries on the ground before putting her bag down. She rolled up the bottom of her pants and rubbed at a dirt smear on her shoes. As she sat down, she reminded herself not to feel self-conscious. Her clothes were well past their prime, and Meera had always outshone her in that department. Deerling had finished the berries Luna had given him and nosed his soft muzzle into the folds of Luna's shirt. Luna giggled as Deerling poked around her armpit.

The weary path they had been following continued into the forest, which was overlooked by a rocky ridge. The wall was composed of giant slate slabs, layered one on top of each other.

"Which way after this?" Luna asked, sipping from her water bottle. Ivysaur walked up to her, tongue hanging out.

"Ivyyy…" Ivysaur pawed at her hand, and Luna poured some water in her mouth. Ivy swished it around before swallowing and flopped down on her belly.

"That way." Meera jabbed her thumb behind them towards the mountain ridge. Luna frowned, pulling her head back in surprise.

"That's the big surprise? We're going to walk into a wall?"

"Yeah! There's a secret path through the ridge. It's not very long, 'cause it's at the thinnest part. But right behind the ridge there's an area with lots of kinds of pokémon. I saw a pikachu there once. Usually you have to go all the way around to get there."

"A pikachu!" Luna gasped. The small, yellow electric type pokémon was famous for its cute factor and shocking moves. It had pointed ears, a lightning bolt shaped tail, and round red cheeks. She'd love to see one in the wild. "Wow."

Luna lay back on the grass to stare at the cornflower-blue sky dappled with sprawling white clouds. Tiny, imaginary butterfrees flitted about in her belly. Deerling lay his pretty head down on her stomach. She stroked Deerling's forehead gently, and his ears twitched. Meera and her pokémon seemed happy. She wondered if she could have that too.

"Wanna head out?" Luna asked after a couple of minutes, climbing to her feet. Meera replied with a reluctant groan. "What happened to all that energy?"

"I need to recharge," Meera said, smiling lazily. "Just like Ivysaur. Solar beam style napping." Luna chuckled and started gathering their things.

* * *

It was tricky getting close to the ridge. There was no defined path as no one bothered to hike that way for fun. Ivysaur cleared the way for them, but the terrain had become uneven. They clambered over a pile of heavy, large boulders, and Luna's foot slipped. She pinwheeled her arms, trying to regain her balance. Meera saved her, grabbing her wrist and guiding her to safety.

"Hold on flower girl, we're almost there," Meera said, moving past her. The ridge looked even more daunting up close. Each slab of rock was massive and sleek; there were no footholds to be seen. The forest crawled up the ridge's side, leaves and vines squished up against it. Luna couldn't see how they were going to cross through.

"See up there?" Meera pointed to a spot half-hidden by fir trees. Luna shielded her eyes, searching the spot. It was hard to see, but there was a ledge and a shadow of something on the wall. "Ivy will help us up, and then we can go through."

Ivysaur wrapped her vines carefully around Meera's waist and raised her up. Meera stepped onto the ledge lightly, and Ivysaur unraveled her vines. "It's a piece of cake!" She called down. Luna stepped up, and Ivy did the same for her. Ivy's vines were stronger than they looked. Luna had a bit of trouble breathing as the pokémon lifted her into the air. She felt a little dizzy and tried not to look down. She sucked in a deep breath as the pokémon gently set her down atop the ledge. Ivysaur cooed happily before Meera recalled her to the pokéball. Luna could see the tops of the trees from up high, and she spied a pidgey grooming itself. Looking straight up, the view was half solid rock and half sky. Her stomach flip-flopped.

"Pokémon are awesome," Meera said with a wink. She brushed off the sleeves of her jacket, adding, "And you could have one too!" Luna looked away as that familiar guilt crept into her throat. Her awkward silence didn't go unnoticed, and Meera looked confused. "Do you really not want a pokémon? You've always been really weird about it, and I honestly can't tell anymore."

Luna didn't know what to say. What could she say? She felt like a hypocrite, wanting a pokémon, but judging the way they're caught. "Luna?" Luna met Meera's gaze. "Come on, we're friends."

"I just...I guess I just worry I'd be taking them away from their lives," Luna said softly. "I don't have the right to make that sort of decision." When she noticed Meera staring at her, she went on. "I don't think people who have pokémon are wrong! I want one too! I, I don't know…" When Meera stayed quiet, Luna gave her a weird look.

"You're such a weirdo," Meera replied after a long pause. Luna's cheeks flushed crimson, and Meera laughed. "I'm kidding! But like, it's not a bad thing! Not a lot of people see it that way, that's all. Trust me, you'll see it differently when you meet the right one." Luna's mouth squirmed, unsure how she felt about Meera's response. She nodded wordlessly, and Meera turned away.

The ledge was wide enough to walk on, and she shuffled closer to the gap in the rock wall. "This has been here forever," Meera explained. It was an entryway just big enough to walk through if you ducked. Pawprints patterned the rock floor. "Pokémon use it all the time, so it's relatively safe. You do have to be careful though. Don't stop moving until you're through."

"Right," Luna said, looking inside. It wasn't all that long, and she could see the light streaming in at the end. Regardless, the dark walls closing in were intimidating. "Are you sure it's safe?" She turned to Meera, who went deadpan.

"We-ell…" She trailed off. She looked up to the right, as though she were considering it. "Kind of?" Luna pinched the bridge of her nose, and Meera waved her hands. "Don't worry! If you're nervous, Ivysaur can keep you safe. Come on out Ivy." Ivysaur emerged from her pokéball, her vines already waving in the air. "Ivysaur will wrap her vines around you, and if anything happens, she'll pull you right out. I can go first if you want."

"No, no!" Luna shook her head. "I should go first. We're going for me anyways. Thank you Ivysaur, I would appreciate that." The green vines coiled around her waist, and Luna ducked her head to enter the opening.

It was dark, but she could still see. The walls rubbed against her arms so she kept them tucked in. It obviously wasn't a man-made tunnel. She wondered if it just formed that way, or if a pokémon had done it. She was over half-way through when she felt a vibration through the floor.

"Meera!" Luna called out anxiously. She heard her say something back, and Ivy's vines started to pull, but the rock wall behind Luna suddenly exploded. Luna screamed, throwing herself away from the blast. Ivysaur's vines lost their grip, snaking back to the other side to avoid the falling rocks. Luna's head rang, and she saw the body of an onyx tunneling through the rock behind her. A single boulder in its body was more than double Luna's size, and it moved so fast it was gone as quick as it had come.

Hardly a second had passed, and Luna felt as though the world was moving in slow-motion. She briefly caught a glimpse of Meera waving at her before the rocks started coming down. She heard her yell "GO!" and Luna scrambled to gain her footing. She staggered as the floor beneath her shook, and she lunged for the exit. Debris and light blinded her as she tumbled out. She rolled on her side, crawling away.

"Holy crap." She wheezed, gasping for air. The tunnel caved in behind her with a giant cloud of dust. She gasped, her heart battling with her ribs. She watched as the rocks groaned and shifted until all came to a still.

Her ears rang, and she wasn't sure if she was close to tears or passing out. She wiped the layer of dirt off her face and sneezed. It took her a second before she realized the ringing was also coming from her bag. She retrieved her buzzing phone and shakily pressed the 'TALK' button.

" _THANK ARCEUS, YOU'RE ALIVE!_ " Meera's voice shouted through the earpiece. Luna held it away from her ear.

"Yeah, yeah," Luna said, huffing a bit. She absently brushed away a strand of hair stuck to her mouth. "That was terrifying."

" _That was unbelievable! I'm so glad you're okay! I'm going to try to find a way around. I'll call my cousin and see if she knows of another way through. Be careful! There's lots of wild pokémon over there!_ "

"Okay," Luna said, clasping her forehead. Meera hung up to call her cousin, and Luna tossed her phone back into her bag. She sank to her knees, kneeling in silent shock. She stayed there looking around for several minutes. It wasn't until the rock wall next to her started rumbling again that she tried to stand. It took her a second to get her balance, but once she did, the world stopped moving in slow motion.

"Okay," she repeated, looking around her. The forest was dimmer and cooler on this side of the ridge. She had to squint to see the darkest parts of the trees. She slowly wandered away from the wall, letting her eyes get adjusted to the shade.

Luna didn't notice that she was being watched. A wild pokémon lay flat on its belly, watching from underneath a coba berry bush. It lay perfectly still, eyes locked on her as she stopped to inspect a patch of white flowers. Her dust covered hair fell over her face, and she tucked it behind her ears. The sides of her arms were scratched up, and her legs marked with dirt.

She'd never been out on her own in a strange place. The feeling was odd. She leaned her head back, staring at the canopy of leaves above her head. Light spotted through it sparsely, like stars. _Maybe I hit my head_ , she thought.

"I can probably find my way back to town." Luna couldn't see any landmarks she recognized other than the rock cliff. "If I follow it, it'll take me back the right way." She shifted dirt around with the toe of her shoe. "Maybe I should stay here though…"

She debated for a couple of minutes, pacing in a circle. Finally, she stopped and clapped her hands. "Okay. Okay, I'm going. I'm not gonna sit around and wait." She plucked up her confidence and marched off in the direction she thought was home.

The pokémon hiding in the shadows watched her go. It darted away from its hiding spot, the leaves rustling in its wake.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: Once again, the structure of the chapters have been edited from before, hopefully the story will move along a little quicker! Also, I know reading from the pokémon's POV isn't to everyone's liking, but it won't be a regular occurrence :)

* * *

 _Sonny_

Sonny worked in the shop for hours, stopping only when Nanner forced lunch on him. It was well past noon, and he sat on the front steps of the deck with his friends. He scarfed down a roast beef and gravy sandwich, not having realized how famished he was until he took the first bite. Houndour lay on his side enjoying the shade, and Nanner gobbled down banana, after banana, after banana. Some of them he didn't even bother to peel.

Sonny gulped a glass of lemonade and wiped his hands on his dirty work jeans. He watched a fancy black car drive down the street, and he frowned when it slowed at their driveway. It pulled in, and Sonny got up, dusting off his shoulders. He wasn't expecting anyone.

The sleek door opened, and a pair of slim feet emerged wearing high-heeled, sleet gray pumps. Sonny moaned, immediately realizing who it was. Houndour got to his feet and growled hesitantly.

Chlorissa Bordeaux was the kind of person who would show up unannounced into any situation and act as though she belonged there. She slid out the car, moving in a controlled, smooth way, and looked around as though she hadn't seen Sonny standing on the front path. He rolled his eyes, turning to finish his lemonade. Once she took in most of the neighborhood, she strolled towards him.

"Sonny, you look as unkempt as ever," she said in a flat tone. Chlorissa looked out of place in the welcoming suburban atmosphere. Her dark plum hair was pinned up, revealing her long, graceful neck. Dark eye-shadow, a stark contrast to her lily-white skin, framed piercing, cobalt eyes. Even her simple, gray velvet dress looked like it belonged at a high-end event, or in some classy magazine. Her expression did not match any of her finery; she bore an air of perpetual vexation.

"And you as miserable as ever," Sonny said, tipping his glass to her. A genuine smile crossed her face but disappeared almost instantly. Houndour had retreated to the deck to sit with Nanner and watch.

"I apologize for the surprise visit," she said. Her tone changed, and she cleared her throat. "I'm very sorry to hear about your father's passing."

Sonny nodded, clenching his jaw. He hated the apologies. He'd hated the funeral. He hated anything that reminded him his dad was gone.

"Thank you," he replied stiffly. Chlorissa nodded, her face blank as she observed him. There was a long silence as she seemed to decide whether to go on. Sonny clenched his fists, and Chlorissa caught on. She shifted her weight onto one side, sticking out her angular hip and checking her nails.

"I'm also here to offer you a job," she said, a general air of boredom returning to her manner.

"A job?" Sonny asked, giving her a quizzical look. She made an annoyed face, mocking him.

"Yes. Those things that people work at to make money. I'd know if my family wasn't filthy rich." She sneered at the last part, her upper lip curling. Sonny had known Chlorissa since they were little, and he knew she didn't bother keeping up appearances around him. She'd always had contempt for her family's wealth, although she didn't mind spending it whenever she felt like it. Her mother was a renowned breeder, and her father owned a string of extremely expensive restaurants that served tiny portions at high cost. Their fathers had worked closely together furbishing said restaurants, which led to a sort of business friendship between the families. Sonny vaguely recalled seeing Chlorissa's parents at the funeral.

"Well, we can always fit something in for your family," he said, sorting through his internal calendar. Chlorissa shook her head.

"No, the job isn't here. It's at our home in Lumiose City." She continued picking at her nails, waiting for him to process.

"I can't go to Lumiose City," he said slowly, irritated by her nonchalant attitude. "I've got Abigail, and mom. I can't just leave them."

Chlorissa sighed, glowering at him. "It's not like you would be abandoning them, you'd simply be moving on." Sonny resisted the urge to punch her in the mouth. She narrowed her eyes and pursed her red lips. "Does being honest automatically make me a monster?"

"A monster, no. A sociopath, yes," Sonny replied through gritted teeth. Chlorissa smiled, the corners of her mouth curving up.

"No one knows me quite like you do," she said sarcastically, batting a hand at him. "Let's be realistic though…just because your father is gone doesn't mean your life ends as well."

"You don't know anything about-"

"Don't I?" Chlorissa snapped, cutting him off. She gingerly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before continuing in a high falsetto. " _'Chlorissa, Sonny doesn't sleep. He says everything's okay, but he looks sick. Do you think he's sick? What should I do?'_ "

"Is that...supposed to be Abigail?" Sonny asked after a short pause.

"Not that I excel at impressions, but yes." Her dark blue eyes looked serious. "Your kid sister isn't blind. She knows something is wrong, and she's worried."

"Since when do you talk to Abigail?" He knew the two had met, but Chlorissa would always ignore her as though she were a piece of furniture.

"We chat," Chlorissa said, as though that was the most normal thing in the world. "It's not like she has a sister to talk to, and your poor mother is overwhelmed...understandably."

"Just when you convince me you have no heart," Sonny said, shaking his head. "I guess you are human then?" Chlorissa rolled her eyes, ignoring him.

"I know a thing or two about grief, and it sounds like you're not dealing with yours very well. So, we need work done around the house, mostly reupholstering the furniture and refinishing. I've decided to pay you three times your regular pay, because I feel like my father's profits were a bit high last month." She clapped her hands as though that settled that and walked briskly back to the car. Sonny jogged after her, and Houndour leapt off the deck to chase him.

"Hold on, I didn't say yes!"

"You know where we live. Come at your leisure. Just know this." Her eyes churned with intensity as she viciously pointed a black, manicured nail at him. "You will not survive by living a lie. You hate it here, and you _will_ hate it here until you leave." Without another word, she swooped into the back seat, shut the door, and the car backed out of the drive.

"Houn?" Houndour and Sonny looked at each other. Houndour looked perplexed.

"Yeah, she's a sociopath."

* * *

 _Luna_

A soft breeze ruffled the canopy over Luna's head as she picked her way through the thickening woods. The spine covered weeds mixed in with the lush grass scratched at her slender ankles, leaving an array of tiny, red marks. The air was thick with condensation as the temperature rose, and she wiped away a thick layer of sweat. The rock wall was hardly visible anymore. Save for the twittering of birds darting from branch to branch, and the crunching of twigs beneath Luna's shoes, it was quiet and still.

Luna scrounged in her pocket for a hair tie and tied her wild, humidity afflicted curls into a bun. Her gray eyes scanned the forest and its dark, lush floor. Although it was quiet, her nerves danced every time she heard a foreign noise. Her shirt snagged on an outreaching branch, and she used her palm to clear a way for herself. She'd shoved the thoughts of crushing rock from her mind, but her fingers still trembled slightly. She wiped tree sap off her pinkie, smearing it onto her poor, destroyed jeans.

The forest was a pallet of blues, greens, and dark, neutral colors. Luna squeezed her way through two thick trunks, the bark scratching her palms. Something red flitted through the mass of trees just several feet away. Luna caught it in the corner of her eye and ducked instinctively. Her chest hammered, and she crept closer, the grass tickling her legs.

A fletchling, the tiny robin pokémon, hopped from side to side on a large oak tree. Luna watched, her mouth slowly dropping open. She'd never seen a fletchling before. Violetta Town had pidgeys galore in the spring time, but fletchlings preferred the thick of the woods. The fletching didn't notice Luna's presence, and she could see a nest tucked away in the center of the tree where the gnarled branches. The fletchling placed a small, bristled root into the side of the nest, securing it before darting away to collect more brush.

"Cool," Luna whispered, smiling a bit. The fletchling flew gracefully, swooping and avoiding obstacles with ease. Her head feathers were red, and the rest of her body was a light blue. Her tail, two black feathers with white, triangular stripes across them, angled this way and that to adjust her flight pattern. Her black beak opened and closed as she sang cheerfully to herself. Luna moved to go around, hoping not to disturb her nest building, but something made her stop. She froze, squinting at a dark mass of branches next to Fletchling's tree.

It was hard to see, but something moved lazily along a thick, gnarled neighboring tree. Luna wouldn't have noticed if it wasn't for the muted yellow strip around the ekan's neck. It slid stealthily along, its balance excellent. Luna shuddered. Ekans, a poison type pokémon, was a purple and yellow snake with a yellow rattlesnake tail. Poison pokémon could be incredibly dangerous, especially when encountered in the wild. Luna rubbed her arms as a chill ran through her.

The ekans' wide, unblinking eyes didn't stray from the fletchling's nest. Ekans loved bird eggs and were often sneaky enough to steal one or two unnoticed. However, this fletching was a vigilant mother, and she caught on the moment the ekans slid onto her tree.

"Fletch-LING!" Fletching didn't hesitate to hop between the snake and her eggs. She beat her wings twice in warning, and the ekans hissed. Its mouth glowed white briefly, and it lunged out to grab the fletchling. Luna gasped, standing up. Fletchling darted away, looping around the ekan's head and reasserting herself in front of her nest.

The tiny bird chirped vehemently, flying in a small circle before hurtling into the ekans. The ekans slid off the branch, snapping its mouth as it lost its balance. It landed with a crash, and Luna's heart jumped into her throat. It hadn't occurred to her how close they were. She backed away a step but couldn't bring herself to leave the fletchling in such a bad spot. She rummaged through the underbrush, searching for some sort of weapon. Slick mud streaked her fingers.

" _Ekansssss_ …" The ekans rose from the bushes, its yellow eyes narrowed. The rattle on the end of its tail shook, filling the woods with the intimidating racket. Fletching hopped from branch to branch, beating her wings furiously. The ekans circled the tree and used its muscular body to reach up the trunk. It curled around the closest branch, beginning its climb back up. Fletchling kept herself in front of her eggs, refusing to give the ekans an inch. Luna uncovered a round rock and picked it up. She shouldn't interfere. She knew that, and yet as the fletchling shrieked, she clutched the rock tightly. Fletchling would die before she lost her babies.

Stepping away from the tree, Luna took aim and pitched the rock. She watched as it flew straight, finding its mark. The ekans yowled as the rock slammed into its cheek, sending it flying off the tree.

"ACKH! Ek-ekans?!" The ekans recovered quickly and furiously searched for the source of its pain. Its yellow eyes found Luna, one hand on the tree beside her.

"Leave Fletching alone!" Luna yelled, holding up another rock. Her voice shook, and she trembled violently as the ekans' body looped around. Although the ekans didn't look all that large, its body was easily nearly six feet long. It rose as high as it could, head swaying from side to side. Luna backed away a step, but tried to hold her ground. The snake could outrun, or out-slither, her, and she hoped that she could trick it into thinking she was bigger and badder. She held its intense eye contact, chills running up her spine.

There was brief pause as the ekans sized Luna up. She kept up the stare, willing whatever strength she had into it. For a split second, she thought it was working until the ekans' maw snapped open, and a green fluid started pooling in its gums. "Well, shit." Her foot slipped on the muddy grass as she lunged to get away, and she fell face first into the ground. Luna looked up to see a spray of vibrant green, bubbling acid stream from the ekans' mouth. There was no time to escape, and she held her hands up to her face to protect her eyes.

Somewhere beside Luna a dark green bush rustled. A streak of orange and black darted out from underneath and deftly leaped through the thick grass. The creature landed in front of Luna, fire bursting from its mouth. It intercepted the acid, and the poison erupted into a cloud of steam. Luna peeked through her fingers in time to see some of it splatter her protector.

The growlithe yelped, shaking its head vigorously. It spun around, cringing from the stinging acid. The puppy pokémon had an orange body with black stripes, and a white, fluffy chest, tail, mane, and belly. Its muzzle was white, and the two black stripes on its front legs looked like downward facing arrows. The spots where the acid had touched were slowly turning his orange fur purple.

"Oh!" Luna gasped, lowering her hands. She felt hugely relieved, and a little shocked, at being saved. She clambered forward, her shoes slick. It was difficult to get a hold on the ground, but she reached out to her savior. "Don't! You've been poisoned!" The growlithe panted, sweat beading his forehead. He faced the menacing snake pokémon, refusing to back down.

"Grrrrow-lithe!" The growlithe advanced shakily. Ekans spat angrily, thoroughly fed up with all the interruptions to its lunch. It coiled its head back, lurching forward to bite. Growlithe's fur stood up on his back, and he braced himself for the attack. At that moment, Fletching swooped down from her tree, her beak glowing white. She assailed the ekans with a series of harsh pecks to its face. One hit its yellow eye, and it recoiled. She flew up and away, beating her wings as the ekans failed to grab her. The purple snake flailed, snapping branches and crushing brush with its body. It was not having a good day, but it could still smell those little eggs in the nest.

"Growlithe!" Luna called out, still low to the ground. She propped herself up on one knee. Growlithe turned his head to look at her. Sweat dripped off his black nose, and his blue eyes clouded with pain. It took all his energy to stay standing. Luna's face contorted with worry. She knew he didn't have much time before the poison overcame him. She pointed at the enraged ekans, who was still blinking its watering eye. "Use ember! Breathe fire! It's distracted!"

Growlithe stamped his foot and exhaled flame at the base of the ekans coiled body. It wasn't much, but the orange flame licked at its scaly skin. The snake flailed, hissing wildly. The ekans snapped its mouth at Fletchling before hurriedly slithering away. The odds were finally stacked against it, and it grumpily retreated. Luna sighed in relief as the long tail vanished into the grass.

Fletchling cheered, beating her wings and shaking her tail. She checked her beloved eggs, and then swooped around Luna and Growlithe. Luna smiled weakly, but she noticed Growlithe standing stock still. His head bobbed once, twice, and then his legs buckled.

Luna clambered to his side, still slipping on the damp ground. The little pokémon was curled on the forest floor, his fur patched with mud and grass. His orange body was bright against the grass and ferns, and his side rose and fell faintly. The purple was spreading over his entire body. His legs shook as he curled further into a ball.

Fletchling fluttered down to the ground, chirping sadly. She inquisitively poked at Growlithe's cheek with her beak, and he weakly opened one eye. Luna's heart hurt as she lay a hand on his side. His orange and black fur was soft, and she stroked it gently while checking his heartbeat. The thum thum of his heart was slow, but steady. She reached into her bag and pulled out her container of pecha berries. The poison had spread and was slowly eating away at his health. "These should do the trick."

"Fletch, fletch…" Fletching watched anxiously as Luna plucked the green stem off of the pink berries. She mushed them gently with her fingers; they were tender fruit. She helped Growlithe open his mouth and placed the berries inside as far as she dared.

"This'll help," she said. Growlithe swallowed with difficulty, but the purple instantly began fading. It would take a couple of minutes to go away, but it wouldn't get any worse from there. Fletching danced and sang a lovely song in celebration. Luna stroked his white, tufted mane. She was exhausted, covered in dirt and scratches, and completely overwhelmed, but all she could think about was the panic in her chest for the weak pokémon. "You're out of the woods, but you need medical attention. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pick you up. I don't have any medical supplies on me."

Growlithe was nearly unconscious, but he cracked his eyes open again. Luna slowly slid her arms underneath him. When he was standing the growlithe was at least as tall as her knees. She wasn't sure she'd be strong enough to carry him, but as she picked him up she found he was surprisingly light. She wrapped her arms around him and felt his ribs. He was extremely underweight. His thick fur hid the fact that he was starving. After looking around, Luna realized she still had no idea where she was. She fought back against the wall of fear threatening to overtake her. _There's a way out of this,_ she thought firmly.

"Fletching, do you know which way there are people? Or a road?" Luna asked. Fletching thought for a second, and then flew in a circle. She pointed her wing to her left. "Thank you!" Fletching flitted up to her nest, singing to the pair as Luna ran off.

* * *

 _Growlithe_

Growlithe felt warm. His belly hurt, but he didn't feel nauseous anymore. He was so weak he could barely move. He opened his eyes, and the light made his head hurt.

There were pretty colors next to his face; pink, blue and white. He was pressed up against something, and their heart was beating very fast. A pair of arms and hands held him securely. It felt strange to him...strangely nice. He curled up tighter and looked up.

He'd seen the girl fall out of the cave. She had looked just as lost and alone as he felt. As he blearily stared at her, he wondered why she looked upset. She was sweating a lot, and he licked a bead off her collar bone. It was salty.

She had tried to protect Fletchling. He had watched Fletchling make her nest for her babies, working on it every day to make it perfect. He'd wished that he had a nest. Her arms sort of felt like a nest right then. He snuggled in closer, enjoying the feeling. Then he passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

_Sonny_

Sonny sanded the table top, dust flying around him. Houndour lay on a worn bed in the corner, dozing. A fine layer of dust settled over him, washing out his dark coat to a pale beige. Nanner perched atop a shelf, watching from a safe distance with goggles strapped on.

A couple of hours had passed since Chlorissa's surprise visit, and Sonny hadn't been able to shake it off. The way she had stabbed her finger at him like a prophetical threat gave him chills. He sighed, removing his safety glasses as he set down his palm sander. Something inside of him nagged that she might be right. Despite that, he knew that leaving wasn't an option. It wasn't the money that was an issue, but he couldn't leave either his mother, nor Abigail, alone. As much as he hurt, he knew they hurt too.

Sonny checked his dirty watch, brushing the face with his thumb. It was almost time to pick up Abigail, and he needed to walk off whatever funk Chlorissa had put him in. He tidied his work area and quickly wiped down the table with a cloth. Nanner brushed Houndour off with his tail as the canine woke, yawning. He shook himself, lips flapping as dust mushroomed over everything. Sonny coughed as he led the pair out of the shop and locked the door.

* * *

Nanner perched on Sonny's shoulder as they walked down the sidewalk, and Houndour's pokéball was safely secured to his belt. Nanner had never been keen on staying in his ball, preferring to use Sonny's head and shoulders as lookout points. His violet fur ruffled in the breeze and his oval ears twitched.

Downtown was three blocks of stores situated around a bridge crossing a small river. Balueville was an attractive place, filled with contractors and tradespeople. Some had shopfronts or worked from home, and others moved around doing different kinds of work. They passed the suburban areas, filled with gablefront homes and well-manicured lawns, and approached downtown. Many of the shops had been converted from barns and still bore the traditional red painted exterior.

Nanner swayed from side to side as Sonny walked, a grin on his face. He peered into the stores, waving with his tail when people looked at him. They approached a bakery, with a wide selection of treats displayed in the window, and the monkey swatted Sonny's face.

"Ai-ai!" He yelped, his eyes wide.

"No hitting!" Sonny swatted back at him, and Nanner hooted as they walked inside. "Come on out Houndour." Houndour emerged from his pokéball and sniffed the air.

The bakery was prettily decorated with large chocolate statues of cupcakes, poképuffs, and a brilliant chocolate sculpture of a furfrou with orange fur. The walls were a bright peach with wooden trim, and paper flowers hung from the ceiling. A couple walked out, holding the white bag with the Furfrou's Treats logo on it.

"Morning Sonny!" A cheerful lady waved from behind the counter. Kathy was the owner and master baker. Sonny would work on a salary of her nanaimo bars. Her furfrou, the inspiration for the shop, lay on a fluffy, white bed. She dozed on and off until Houndour walked up to say hello. The furfrou raised her white head, long fluffy ears perked up. Houndour sniffed her nose before politely sitting down next to her.

"Good morning Kathy," Sonny said, smiling. Wafts of delicious smells came from the kitchen, filling the room with warmth. "Smells amazing."

"Why, thank you!" Kathy beamed. Her blond hair was back in a tight bun, and she had a bright, round face. She wore an orange dress and a white, frilly apron tied at the waist that accentuated her hourglass shape. "And how is everything going with the Bookers?"

Sonny tried not to assume it was a loaded question. Everyone in town knew what had happened, and he didn't blame them for trying to help. The first couple of months had felt like an eternity. Every person he ran into was full of apologies and kind words, but Sonny found none of it made him feel better.

"We're doing just fine, thank you. Busy season, y'know," he said, keeping his voice light. Kathy nodded knowingly as she pulled out a clipboard and waved to the display case filled with treats.

"What can I get for you today?"

"Uh." Sonny leaned in, and Nanner pointed to a pyramid of apicot poképuffswith his tail wildly. Poképuffs, a popular dessert in the Kalos region, were enjoyed by both people and pokémon. They resembled cake-like macarons. These apicot poképuffs had light blue frosting and a whole green and blue apicot on top, decorated with frosted leaves. "One of those, a spicy petaya poképuff for Houndour, and a pecha cupcake for my sister. Thank you."

Kathy boxed up the pastries, handed him the white paper bag, and smiled.

"I hope you have a wonderful day. Please come again!"

* * *

Sonny waited on a park bench across from the school. Houndour ate his orange poképuff with red frosting slowly, savoring it, but Nanner had devoured his in almost two bites.

The school was made of red brick and had a green tiled roof. The windows glinted in the sun and were filled with stickers and paintings. Sonny had gone to the same school, as did his older brother, Rodrick. On his tenth birthday, his father had given him his first pokémon; Houndour had been a bundle of lanky legs and floppy ears, with shining black eyes. Sonny had painted a bad rendition of his new friend on those very windows. Sonny stroked Houndour's neck absently as he remembered it.

They didn't have to wait long until the bell rang shrilly, and kids of all ages started pouring out the doors. Some of them hopped into waiting cars, accompanied by their pokémon. Sonny spotted Abigail coming out the doors and got up. She was carrying a parcel of papers in her hand, and her face lit up when she saw him.

"Sonny!" She called out, waving. He crossed the street and she ran to his open arms. Her flower pin was falling out of her hair.

"Hey kiddo," he said, patting her head as she threw her arms around his waist. "What's that?" The papers looked like they were cut into the shape of hearts.

"Bye Abby!" A little girl with a bob and a pidgey perched on her shoulder called, and Abigail waved goodbye to her.

"Um, it's from the other kids." She clutched the papers tightly. "Can I put them up in my room?" Abigail handed them to Sonny, and he ruffled through. Each one was decorated with stickers and sparkly glue and had little notes written on them. One had, ' _We're here for you!_ ' scrawled in child-like letters. "That one is from Melissa."

He was quiet for a moment before saying, "Sure." Abigail grinned, taking them back and holding them to her chest. She petted Houndour's head as they started walking home.

As they arrived, they could see two cars, one belonging to their mother, parked in the driveway. Sonny recognized the second car immediately and exhaled slowly. Nanner wrapped his tail around Sonny's neck, watching his face. Abigail squealed as she ran up the stairs to the front door.

"Rodrick's here!" The door opened before she could reach it, and their brother emerged. Rodrick was Sonny's older brother by two years. He was slightly taller than Sonny and had the same thick, dark hair, although his was cropped short. He swept Abigail into a big hug, spinning her around in a circle.

"Hi Abby," he said fondly, setting her down. "Mom and Lisa are making supper. Why don't you go help them?"

"Okay! Is Ursaring here too?" Rodrick nodded, and Abigail squealed again. She ran inside, and Rodrick shut the door. He turned to his brother, but their greeting was less than enthusiastic. Neither said anything, and Rodrick's warm expression fell into one of concern.

"Wanna see the table I'm working on?" Sonny asked with difficulty. Rodrick nodded, and they walked to the garage. "It's almost done." He kicked a scrap piece of wood on the floor and dust bloomed up from it. It floated in the air between them, and Sonny watched it numbly. Rodrick nodded his approval. Nanner jumped off Sonny's back to start sweeping the floor.

"Looks good," he replied, inspecting the legs. "What'll the finish be?"

"Red mahogany stain with a teak oil rub." Sonny shoved his hands into his pockets. His chest felt strained. It was hard to look at Rodrick for the same reason he couldn't stand to look in the mirror. The two of them looked so much like their father it hurt. Houndour whined, his short tail tucked between his legs. He sidled close to Sonny's leg.

Rodrick stepped forward, pulling Sonny into a hug. Sonny stood rigidly, surprised. Everything inside of him screamed to pull away or shove his brother off; anything to get away from having to face this.

"I know it's been hard," Rodrick said, his voice cracking. "I miss Dad too, but you and he were close. I'm sorry." Sonny said nothing. His heart started to race. He'd felt the same way walking up to his dad's coffin on the day of the funeral. He had felt the enormity of his father's absence seeing the smooth, black surface. He was gone, and he wasn't coming back. "You've been taking care of mom and Abigail this whole time...and I wish I could have been here sooner. It must be hard to carry everyone while you're hurting. I'm sorry for that too. Dad would be very proud of you."

The dam of emotions in Sonny's chest cracked, and before he could stop it, silent tears were pouring down his face onto his brother's shirt. Hearing someone else acknowledge his pain made the walls inside start crumbling. The effort of keeping it all together for six months had been wearing him thin. There were times when he just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, but he couldn't afford that. He'd chosen to dedicate his life to the people around him who were also suffering. He'd chosen not to show it, not to let it out for one second. Everything had hardened into rock.

Rodrick pulled away and wiped his own eyes. He smiled at Sonny before mirroring his stance. He was wearing a pair of old jeans, marked from working. "That's why Lisa and I are moving in here."

"You are?" Sonny's eyebrows shot up, and his breath caught. His spiral into panic was jogged short, and he swallowed. "What about your business in Santalune City?" Rodrick shrugged.

"That doesn't matter nearly as much as this. Lisa's almost due, and I'm going to work on the furniture business." Rodrick ran a large hand through his hair. "Mom and Abigail need something to distract them. Nothing does that better than a baby." He chuckled, and Sonny remembered when Abigail had been born. Their parents had had Rodrick and Sonny when they were very young; Sally had been sixteen. It had pushed their dad to start the business and work hard to provide for his family. "And you need to take that job Chlorissa offered you."

"Wait, what?" Sonny stepped back. "She told you about that?"

"She called me. Told me what Abigail told her. Said I needed to stop being a douche and come help you guys." Rodrick rolled his eyes, and Sonny could practically hear Chlorissa saying that. "We were already planning on moving to town, but Mom was thrilled when we suggested moving in here. She's itching to turn the spare room into a nursery."

Sonny's rock heart shuddered, the heartbeat finally reaching through the thick surface. There it was. Air. He breathed in deeply, and his head spun.

"I can't just leave…" he said quietly, glancing at the door. His heart was drumming in his ears, and he couldn't tell if he was angry or sad. "I've got jobs to do here, and Mom and Abigail…" He trailed off when it started to sink in. It wouldn't be just him anymore. Lisa would watch Abigail until their mom came back from whatever sad place she was in. Rodrick knew just as much about furniture as he did. The crack in his chest deepened, and he felt strangely free.

"I know this place reminds you of dad. Heck, you can't even really look me in the face," Rodrick said gently. Sonny took a deep, shaking breath. They stood in silence, and Nanner and Houndour both sat next to Sonny, watching him. His mind was racing faster than it had in months. He'd assumed this was it. Without dad, his routine had become empty. He loved his family, but the ball of anger in his chest made every day harder. He could go do anything he wanted, and Abigail would be safe and happy. It seemed too good to be true.

"I don't want to do carpentry anymore," he said suddenly. "I don't want to do this without Dad."

"Then don't. Do this last job for Chlorissa and be done. Find what you want to do and come back to see us whenever you want. Come back when you're better."

Sonny looked at his brother's face, taking in all the features they shared with their father. "Thank you. There's just one thing I need to do before I go."

* * *

 _LUNA_

Luna ran. The wild growlithe in her arms was fully unconscious. She glanced at him; his eyelids quivered and sweat patched his orange fur, turning it dark. Tears streaked down her face as she trudged on. One of ankles was pulsing with dull pain, and her scratched arms ached and itched. None of that mattered, as all she could think about was how weak the growlithe's heartbeat felt against her chest.

Her hair, freed from its tie, snagged on tree branches and was thick with sweat. Curls stuck to her cheeks, and she wished she could brush them away. The woods were muggy, but it seemed as though it might be getting sparser. She didn't have to weave between trees anymore. The grass seemed lighter and shorter, and she squinted against the sun breaking through the treetops.

 _Meera will find us_ , Luna thought. She had no general idea of where she was, except that the cliff wasn't all that wide. There were roads going around it, which meant it wouldn't take them long to find her, if they were looking. Her head spun, and her lungs burned as she inhaled deeply.

The growlithe moaned quietly, and his front paw batted at Luna's collar bone. Her long lashes fluttered at a wave of regret. She shuddered at the overwhelming guilt. She wondered why he had jumped out to save her and wished she had just left it alone to begin with. There was nothing she could change now, except getting him to safety. She pressed her back against a tree, using it to balance herself as she squeezed between two birches.

She emerged from the woods, and the light temporarily blinded her. The wall of trees she walked out of was surprisingly thick, and she was taken aback by how suddenly she had escaped it. Luna focused on the flowers and light green grass waving around her muddy feet until she could stand the sunlight. The breeze was instantly stronger, and she gulped the cool air. She squinted as she looked up.

Luna held back tears of relief as her hopes were confirmed. A road passed through the field she had found, and a familiar jeep was parked on the gravel shoulder. Next to it stood a pair of people, one with a pink ponytail wearing beige khakis, and the other green-haired and undoubtedly Meera. In the distance, she could faintly see Violetta town.

"Help!" Luna cried out, her voice cracking. Her tongue was dry, and she felt as though her shout was a whisper, but Meera whipped around at the sound. She broke into a run, and Luna staggered into her the moment she reached her.

"Luna, thank goodness!" Meera exclaimed. She looked at the growlithe collapsed in Luna's arms and gaped. "What happened?!"

"He was poisoned." Luna choked on tears. "An ekans attacked, and he protected me." Meera looked from Luna's tear streaked face to the growlithe and then motioned for her to follow.

"Ashlyn! Open the trunk!" Meera shouted. Luna limped behind her, her chest aching.

"I gave him berries, but I don't think he's doing okay." By the time they reached Ashlyn, she had already opened the back of her jeep and was laying down a clean sheet.

Ashlyn Joy was a bit younger than Meera, and her pink ponytail was straight as an arrow. She had sweet, delicate features, and wide blue eyes, but at that moment she looked dead serious. She rolled up the sleeves of her white blouse as Luna lay Growlithe down gently onto the clean sheet.

"Espurr, I need your help please," Ashlyn said as she moved in to examine Growlithe. One of the minimized pokéballs on her belt snapped open, and a beam of red light arched through the air. It formed into the outline of an espurr and materialized into the purplish-gray, fluffy creature that stood on two feet. It blinked its wide, dark purple eyes, and a blue glow surrounded its body. It floated into the air to observe Growlithe from above.

"Thank you," Luna whispered, and she backed away to let them work. A stethoscope glowed blue, and floated up and around Ashlyn's neck. Espurr knew what she needed before she had to ask. Meera led Luna to the side of the jeep. She grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to her. Luna opened it, licking her lips. She drank half of it one go.

"You look...so awful, and, oh my god, your mom is going to kill me!" Meera groaned. "Are you okay?!"

"It's okay, I'm fine. I'm more worried about Growlithe." Her heart pounded in her chest and another wave of tears bubbled up. Ashlyn was leaning over Growlithe's body, her movements swift and efficient. A small, glowing syringe floated into her hand, and Luna had to look away.

They waited several minutes, which felt like hours to Luna. She sat in the passenger seat of the jeep with Meera pacing anxiously as she explained everything. Luna scuffed her stained sneakers on the side of the car.

"So you threw a rock at it?!" Meera said, astounded. Luna blushed, nodding. She raked her fingers through her hair and found several twigs.

"I know, it was stupid." She looked through the back window at Ashlyn. "I wasn't thinking."

"Yeah it was!" Meera exclaimed, rubbing her face. "Like, wow, I did not think you would ever do something crazier than me. I shouldn't have brought you there. I probably turned you off wanting a pokémon ever."

Luna stared at the ground thoughtfully before replying. "Actually, you didn't."

* * *

 _Growlithe_

Growlithe blinked his eyes dozily. The strange lady had stopped poking at him, and he felt better. He stretched, grunting as he did, and sat up as the pink lady said something. He blinked again, his eyes adjusting to the light. They weren't in the forest. The jeep looked like nothing more to him than a very large box. The field stretched out alongside the road, dotted with pink and blue.

Growlithe's ears perked forward as the girl he had saved appeared. He barked, his tongue lolling out as he grinned. He was incredibly eager to see her, as he knew she had gotten him help. Her eyes looked watery, and she was covered in dirt. Another person showed up outside the box. It was another girl, but this one had hair the same color as grass. She looked curiously at Growlithe and started saying something to the pink lady. It seemed like there were a whole lot of people there suddenly, and Growlithe backed away nervously. He whined. He didn't like being the only one inside this strange square thing.

"Hey, it's okay," the nice girl said, holding out a hand. Growlithe whined more, and he wagged his tail a bit. The other women moved away, and he jumped out of the jeep. He skidded a bit on the road. He ran a couple of steps before turning in two, investigative circles. He sniffed the ground with his curious, black nose. They weren't in the forest anymore. There was an espurr over by the pink lady, but he remembered seeing him earlier. He was fine. The strange women seemed to know the nice one, and they seemed fine too. He did not know this place, but he liked it. The breeze ruffled his chest, and the wind was refreshing.

The nice girl crouched, and he moved closer to her. She had pretty, gray eyes that were looking right at him. He lay down on the ground. He wanted her attention, but he also didn't know what to do now that he had it. His ears flicked back and forth anxiously.

"Thank you so much for saving me," she said, smiling widely at him. "I'm glad you feel better now." Growlithe barked, scooting closer to her on his belly. His belly did flops as she lightly touched his head, and he let her pet him. "I have something for you. If you want."

Growlithe shut his mouth, perking his ears forward. The girl stood up, and started walking back to the jeep, which he could now see had circles underneath it. He had never seen a car before and wondered if it was the girl's home.

He darted after her and ran between her legs. He jumped up, pawing at her. "Hang on!" She said, laughing. She opened the side of the box and then crouched back down. She was holding something in her hand. He scrambled to get a look, sniffing. She giggled and held him back. He rested his paws on her knees.

"I didn't understand before...what it meant to be a pokémon trainer. After meeting you though, I get it. Sometimes you just need each other." Growlithe cocked his head, listening intently. "I'm sure you have a home in the forest. Maybe even a family. I don't want to take you away from that, but if you would like you could come with me. It's up to you." She held her hand out and lying in her palm was a black ball with red and gold stripes over it. He looked from it to her face. She had tears falling down her cheeks. He didn't understand why.

"I'd really like it if you would be my partner. If you press that button, you'd go inside the pokéball, and you could live with me. You don't have to if you don't want." Growlithe looked at her closely, his nose almost touching hers. He didn't quite get the words she said, but he understood. He had seen other pokémon go with people. He wouldn't be alone anymore. And neither would she.

He leaned over and pressed the button briefly with his nose. It clicked and snapped open. Growlithe shone bright red, and he felt lighter than he ever had. He was pulled into a dark, warm place, and when he opened his eyes he found himself in the most perfect nest he could have ever imagined.


	6. Chapter 6

_Luna_

Ashlyn's jeep rumbled along the farm's long, gravel driveway. Luna sat in the back seat. Her legs felt like jelly, and her head buzzed with a mixture of excitement and exhaustion. She wasn't sure what to expect when she arrived home. She leaned forward to look out the front window. The sun had already begun its long descent from the sky. She spotted her mother waiting at the front step of the house.

"Here goes," Luna muttered, sliding her bag on. The gravel crunched under the wheels as Ashlyn pulled to a stop. Meera, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, hopped out of the front seat as Luna exited the jeep.

"Luna, where have you been?!" Rita rushed forwards straight away, her gentle eyes wrought with worry. Luna was covered in small, red scratches from running through the woods. The worst one was a tiny cut on her cheek, but Rita inspected her as though she'd been mauled. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay Mum. I got separated from Meera, and there was a wild pokémon, but it doesn't matter! Everything is okay!" Luna said hurriedly. She went to continue, but Rita's face melted into a puddle of guilt.

"Oh my goodness! Jacob!" Rita called back to the house for Luna's father. "I'm so sorry sweetheart!" Rita exclaimed, throwing her arms around her daughter. Luna got crushed into the hug, her face squished against her mother's shoulder. Rita smelled vaguely of a mixture of cookies and roses.

"But Mum I caught a pokémon," Luna said, but her voice was too muffled by Rita's shirt to be heard.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Rita was saying, stroking Luna's hair. "I won't ever make you go again, I shouldn't have been so selfish! I'm so sorry sweetheart-"

"MOM!" Luna pushed herself away from her mother's grasp. She startled Rita, whose mouth snapped shut. Luna couldn't prevent the wide grin on her face as she declared, "I caught a pokémon!"

"You did?!" Rita gasped, her eyes widening. "You did! Oh, Jacob, get out here! JACOB!"

The news of Luna's victory gave the girls a chance to explain the day's events to her parents. They left out a couple of minor details, such as Luna almost dying in a rock slide. Rita thanked Ashlyn profusely, who refused any offer of food and reward. They waved and wished her well as she drove off down the driveway.

Luna reached into her bag and pulled out her luxury ball. It felt heavy and warm in her hand.

"So...this is Blue." Luna held it out, and the black and yellow sphere snapped open. The beam of light sprang out, and her new pokémon materialized in the center of their circle.

"Oh my goodness!" Rita gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "He's so cute!"

Blue sniffed the air curiously, his nose twitching. Luna had dubbed him Blue on the car ride home. Meera had teased her for choosing an 'unimaginative' nickname, but Luna didn't care. His unusually bright blue eyes had aquamarine flecks near the pupil. They stood out starkly against his fur.

Blue sniffed the ground, picking up the scent of all the other pokémon nearby. His ears flicked back and forth as he took in the gardens and house. The floette and flabébé watched from the safety of their gardens, and Oddish stared curiously as he wandered past.

Rita crouched down and sat back on her heels. She held out a hand to Blue, who whipped around to look at Luna. She nodded, gesturing towards her mother. The fur on his back stood up, but he crept slowly towards Rita.

"He's a good looking growlithe!" Jacob said, rubbing his chin. He scratched his beard as he gave Blue a once over. "A bit small, but he's probably just a pup."

"Hi there." Rita cooed as Blue sniffed her fingers. "He's very shy." He shook his head and snorted. He bounded back to Luna's side and promptly sat on her foot. She knelt down to stroke his fur. "Oh!" Rita clapped her hands. She bounced up, her braid falling off her shoulder. "We've got to get you packed!"

"What? Why?" Luna frowned at her mother. Meera jumped between Luna and her mother and waved her hands frantically.

"Um, I mi-ight have told them that if you caught a pokémon, you would come stay with me in Lumiose city..." Meera laughed, running a hand through her silky hair. Luna sighed. She was far too tired to scold Meera for being Meera.

"You guys are really okay with that?" She asked. Rita and Jacob exchanged looks, and nodded in unison.

"Of course! When I left home I was even younger than you! I left thinking I would be a ranger and ended up becoming a biologist," Jacob said, chuckling. "It was for the best, because that's how I ended up meeting this lovely green thumb." Jacob wrapped an arm around Rita's shoulders and kissed her head. Rita cheeks flushed. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"We always wanted you to have your own pokémon so that we knew you'd be safe out there. If you don't like it, you can always come home!" Rita held Jacob's hand as they smiled at their daughter. Luna breathed in deeply and held a hand to her forehead. Blue twisted around to grin at her. His tongue hung out the side of his open mouth.

That morning she had been certain nothing was going to change. It felt as though she had lived through a whole week in a few short hours. The thought of leaving home had seemed impossible, yet now she had her parents' blessing. She had her own partner that she could travel with. She could become anything she wanted to and experience all of the things that she'd read about. There was nothing holding her back. She thought momentarily of her favorite photograph; it was of a rapidash galloping through a field with a rider on its back. She used to stare at it and imagine what it was like to be so free.

Luna took a deep breath, and the small group leaned in, anticipating her answer.

"Okay. Blue and I are going to Lumiose city!"

* * *

 _Sonny_

Sonny hadn't gone inside for supper after his talk with Rodrick. He'd grabbed his white and red backpack that had been collecting dust in the garage and, accompanied by his two pokémon, started walking towards the bike path.

Houndour trotted in front of him, his tail up. Nanner sat on Houndour's back, head bobbing with each stride. Sonny felt strange. He walked quickly, ignoring the darkening sky. The bike path traveled through a small forest outside of Balueville, which Sonny was familiar with.

The lamp posts flickered to life as the the sun disappeared. It didn't take long to reach the forest. Houndour rolled onto his back, and Nanner rubbed his brown underbelly as Sonny surveyed the woods. He reached inside his bag and pulled out an empty pokéball. It had been a long time since he used his backpack. He'd caught his aipom in these woods, and he wasn't leaving until he'd found the perfect pokémon.

* * *

It was midnight by the time he reached home. Houndour was inside his pokéball, and Nanner had fallen asleep wrapped around Sonny's neck. He rubbed the aipom's forehead, and the pokémon mumbled. Sonny let himself into the house as quietly as he could. He maneuvered blindly through the dark living room to the hallway. Nanner wrapped his tail tighter around Sonny's neck, murmuring, "Pom, pom." Sonny tiptoed to the door across the hall from his with a pokéball in his hand. Faint light shone from under the door. He knocked lightly, and Abigail said softly, "Sonny?"

"Hey kiddo," he said, pushing the door open. Abigail's room sat in darkness, with only her night table and bed lit up by a small lamp. She sat up in her bed, her blankets wrapped around her like a nest. A coloring book lay out in front of her, and she set down the crayon in her hand when Sonny walked in. "Sorry I missed supper. What are you doing still up?"

"Sometimes it's hard to go to sleep. It's okay," she said quietly, pushing back her pikachu hood. Sonny sat next to her on the bed and placed the pokéball on the bedspread. She looked at it curiously. "What's that?"

"There's something I gotta talk to you about." Sonny started, clearing his throat. Abigail looked at him expectantly. "I know you talked to Chlorissa about how worried you are about me." Abigail's face fell, and her hands tightened on the covers.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, it's okay!" Sonny chuckled, patting her head. Abigail relaxed, twiddling her thumbs together. "Chlorissa offered me a job in Lumiose City, and I had a talk with Rodrick. I wanted to check with you, and see if you'd be okay with me going away for a while."

"Well…" Abigail thought for a second. "Would you come back to visit?"

"Anytime you wanted me to," Sonny said.

"And I can call you?"

"Every day!" He booped her nose, and she giggled. She pulled the blankets up to her chin and nodded.

"I think you should do that. Rodrick said you might go away for a while. I just want you to be happy!" She said, and Sonny could see that she meant it. She smiled at him widely, her sweet, innocent face full of joy. _She is going to be just fine_ , he thought.

"Well..." He motioned to the pokéball, and Abigail stared at it. "It took a bit longer, but I found someone who looked like they really needed a home. This is my going away gift for you. Meet Pichu." He pressed the button on the front of the pokéball, and it snapped open.

The tiny electric pokémon materialized on the bed. Sonny had found him out by the river with his flashlight. He'd been shivering and soaking wet, but didn't belong to anyone. He hadn't even tried to run away when Sonny had scooped him up.

The yellow pokémon had round red cheeks, a black L-shaped tail, and diamond-shaped, black tipped ears that twitched constantly. He gazed around the room, soaking up the warmth of the blanket. His little mouth opened into a tiny 'o'. He had never seen the inside of a house before.

Abigail's face was frozen in an expression of awe. Her bright eyes were as round as pokéballs, and she clutched her comforter in both hands. "He's a boy. Say hello."

"H-hi Pichu-chu," Abigail said, her voice trembling. She reached out one finger, and Pichu sniffed it curiously. Sonny pressed his thumb on the pokéball, holding it down. After a few seconds the stripe around the ball flashed, and a small, automatic voice said, "How can I help you?"

"Transfer," Sonny said clearly, close to the button. The band flashed again.

"Please have the new owner press their thumb onto the button to identify." Sonny held it up, and a quivering Abigail pressed her little thumb onto the button. Her eyes didn't waver from Pichu for one second. The pokéball glowed white temporarily and dinged. "Thank you. Pichu has been successfully transferred to Abigail Booker from Sonoma Booker." Abigail slowly took the pokéball from Sonny and held it in both hands.

Pichu started crawling onto her legs, and Abigail squeaked nervously. Pichu paced around on all fours, patting here and there. Once he felt he had a comfy spot, he curled up into a tight ball right between Abigail's knees. She gingerly stroked the top of his head, and when she looked up to Sonny, she had tears in her eyes.

"Thank you Sonny," she whispered, tears streaking down her rosy cheeks. Sonny wiped his eyes, and he pulled her forward to kiss the top of her head.

"Take good care of him Abby."


	7. Chapter 7

_Luna_

After a well-deserved rest, Luna and her friends set out the next morning for Violetta town. A small gogoat station where tourists could rent gogoats to ride sat at the edge of town, and it was their destination. A wide field filled with wildflowers served as a riding path to the larger ranch outside of Santalune city.

Luna's head had spun when she'd said her goodbyes. The whole thing was so sudden she felt as though she were dreaming. Rita and Jacob had squeezed all three of them into a bear hug after sharing a long discussion about how this was the right decision. Luna had almost given up on the idea, but seeing Blue and Ivy frolic at their feet somehow spurred her to keep moving.

"Aahhhh!" Luna stretched her arms as they strolled down the farm's long driveway. A light veil of fog coated the Flouettes' farm and the grass glittered from the morning dew. Her white tank top hiked up as she stretched, revealing a sliver of skin. The plaid shirt tied around Luna's waist flapped as she walked, and her mid thigh jean shorts were only visible from the front. Meera had spent a good hour the night before sorting through Luna's closet to determine what she should bring and what she should leave. Luna had caught her muttering something about "lacking variety" and "limited selection".

She took a last look behind her at the blooming gardens and her childhood home. She waved to the floette and flabébé who waved from their flowerbeds.

"Butterfre-e!" Luna looked above as Aishell flew overhead. The butterfree fluttered her white, black edged wings in farewell and swooped away.

"Bye Aishell!" Luna called out. She knew she would miss her friends but knowing they would be waiting for her made it easier to go. It helped that she had slept almost the entire night; it was hard not to fall asleep with a warm ball of growlithe tucked next to your back. Blue trotted next to Ivysaur and Luna smiled down at him. His fluffy tail wagged happily, and he too looked bright and refreshed. He'd eaten a giant breakfast of kibble and chicken. Luna wondered if he'd ever had a full meal in his life.

"Yes!" Meera clapped her hands, dancing from side to side. Her high ponytail swayed behind her as a curtain of vibrant green. "It's finally happening! Luna is officially leaving The Middle of Nowhere!" She waved her hands dramatically, and Ivysaur mimicked her by waving her vines around. Luna rolled her eyes and lightly pushed Meera's shoulder.

"You're so ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with Violetta town!" Luna said defensively. They passed the town sign reading, 'Where Flowers Bloom - Violetta Town'. From there the streets were made of wide, white slabs of stone with moss growing in the cracks. Luna loved every bit of her home town. Every home had manicured gardens lining the decks and porches. The stores were privately owned and wonderfully individual. Luna's favorite was the Combee Beauty shop. They sold homemade products ranging from makeup to candles, and they all had signature scents. The shopfront was a palette of violets and purple, with a white trim and awning.

It was a small town but tourists visited almost year round. The downtown area consisted of two blocks of storefront. All the buildings had painted wood exteriors with raw wood details or plastic siding in soft colors. The community awareness and participation was strong. All the business owners coordinated the colors of their shops, which created a pleasant, rainbow-like appearance from afar.

Luna and Meera waved to a familiar roselia who was tending to a box of orange lilies. The graceful pokémon waved back with the red and blue roses that bloomed from her slender, green arms. She smiled brightly at the girls. They knew her from Café Rosetta, which had the best coffee in town. Intricately woven flower wreaths hung in the misted windows over their logo of a steaming cup of coffee.

"So, when do I get to see you compete?" Luna inquired, poking Meera's elbow. "Since you're a big hotshot competitor now I have to see you in action."

"There's a competition in a few weeks in Santalune City. I've got to register today, but you can come with me and be my personal cheerleader!" Meera pretended to wave pom poms in the air. "You could always enter too as a participant."

"Uh, I don't know about that," Luna said, laughing nervously. "Blue and I only just met, and I've never even battled before."

"Yeah you did, you fought off that ekans together! It's the same thing. And the casual battles are really lax. You'd be mostly battling against kids," Meera said, nodding with an air of wisdom about her.

"You want me to beat up a bunch of kids?" Luna joked, snorting as she chuckled.

"Don't underestimate them, they'll mess you up," Meera said, wagging a finger at Luna. "And hey, if you like it you can become a professional, like me!" She grinned, striking a pose and tossing her hair. Luna shook her head, smiling. As they reached the gogoat station, a wooden building with mostly windows instead of walls, she held the door open for their little group.

"Lead the way, miss professional."

* * *

 _Sonny_

By mid-morning, Sonny and his friends had already reached Santalune forest. The trio walked along a private forest path, which was a shortcut from Balueville to Santalune city.

Sonny stretched out his arms as he walked. He carried two heavy bags, which made him wish he'd been working out more frequently as of late. One was full of the tools he couldn't bear to part with, and the other carried his, and his pokémons', every day needs. Houndour trotted alongside him with Nanner perched atop his back. A soft breeze cut through the increasing temperate. The beaming sun shone through gaps in the foliage, decorating the path with warped light. It looked to Sonny as though they were underwater.

The family breakfast that morning had been strangely joyful and busy. It was unlike their usual mealtimes, where they all seemed to be dodging the obvious hole in their midst. Rodrick and Lisa brought a new life to the house. Lisa, albeit being well along in her pregnancy, was up and about, busily making food and tidying up all the spots Sonny would have never thought to clean. Rodrick helped her as she went, seamlessly talking and joking with their mother and Abigail. They served piles of pancakes, topped with syrup, berry sauce, and sides of bacon and potatoes.

Abigail and her pichu were already inseparable. She'd thanked Sonny repeatedly and promised to take pictures of Pichu every day to send to him. Pichu had clung to Abigail's shoulders, tucking its nose under her shirt when someone got too close. Abigail chatted constantly about her new friend and how everyone at school would love him.

What had meant the most to Sonny was the look on his mother's face. She had been so empty and still that he had worried about her constantly. Her expression reflected how broken he felt. For the first time in months, he had seen her smile. Although she said little and still looked distant, it had been genuine. He wondered if he'd ever see her look like her old self again. He stared at his palm. _I doubt I'll be the same again either,_ he thought.

He hated to admit it, but he knew that Chlorissa had been right. With each step he felt the crack in his chest breach wider. He didn't have to wake up staring at the same ceiling. He wouldn't lose the ability to breathe every time he took his first step into the workshop. Sonny rubbed his eyes and pushed those thoughts away.

He hiked up his bags and forced himself to focus on moving forward. His brother had told him about the Gogoat Ranch just outside Santalune city. It was a hotspot for trainers, and Sonny was hoping it would be the setting of his first official pokémon battle. The new pokédexes, which almost everyone used as their ID, automatically transferred winnings and losings and could keep track of how many battles were won and lost. They doubled as cell phones with video, which Sonny had promised to call Abigail on every day.

"You guys ready for something new?" Sonny asked his pokémon. Houndour struck a pose, his tail sticking up straight. He barked, and his sharp canines showed as he grinned back. Nanner wiggled his tail and hooted with a mischievous smile on his face. The aipom snagged a branch off the ground and spun it around like a sword atop Houndour's back. Sonny chuckled and nodded his agreement.

They continued on their way for some time, weaving through the overgrown path until Sonny noticed it was clearing up. He could see the bright, blue sky between trees, and the path had become wider, and was lined neatly with trees. "Looks like we're getting closer. I think this is the way out."

The gogoat ranch spread out over a few acres outside of Santalune city, most of which was pasture for their herds of skiddo and gogoats. The main building was a two story, refurbished barn, and a stable sat off to the side with open stalls. A wide brick path led past the stables directly into the stone-walled city. Sonny could faintly see the pokémon center just inside the walls.

The ranch looked like an old barn that had been refurbished. It had a large extension that bore wide, tall windows and pine rafters. To his left there was a massive field that stretched out further than he could see. People rode up to the ranch on gogoats and skiddos, and he saw more riders headed his way. In his head he calculated it must lead to the town on the other side of Vaniville; Violetta town.

Sonny readjusted his heavy packs as they approached the large entrance to the ranch. "I wonder what they have to eat..."

The answer to that was everything. Air conditioning greeted them as they entered into a clean, green tiled lobby with a small souvenir shop tucked in the corner. The main attraction was the extravagant restaurant directly attached. The eating area had staggered levels, barn wood flooring, plush booths, and an open concept kitchen. Steam hissed as the chefs stirred their pans and woks. Faint chopping noises came from the prep station, and a sweet smell wafted from the pastry chef decorated neat rows of patisserie. The three drooled as they walked past display cases filled with all sorts of meals, from paninis to double decker cheesecakes.

"Whoa..." Sonny held his stomach as it growled loudly at him. Nanner pressed his face against the glass case, his mouth pancaking on the side. He slurped the glass loudly with his tongue, and Sonny grabbed him by the back of the neck. He wiped the glass clean and apologized to the cashier.

It was busy, as Rodrick had predicted. Groups of trainers ate or chatted together, along with their pokémon. In the "Tall & Wide" section a Blastoise lay on its belly, munching on some greens. A clefairy and a jigglypuff shared a bowl of food beside their trainer, whose all pink outfit had clearly been chosen with her pokémon in mind. A family of four sat together in a booth next to a monferno and a cranidos. Sonny watched them for a moment as he stood in line.

Sonny stepped up to the counter to order their food, and within minutes it was served to them on a wide, red tray. Sonny scooted into an empty booth, and Houndour jumped in after him.

"Don't inhale your food," Sonny said, warning Nanner as the monkey pokémon drooled on the table. He unwrapped a sandwich the chef made for Nanner specially; the fillings were freshly cut bananas, a soft white cheese, and a maple cream spread. Nanner swooned, lying flat on the table and reaching dramatically for the food. For Houndour Sonny had gotten a hot bowl of sausage mixed with gravy, and for himself a steak sandwich topped with hot peppers and melted cheese.

"Thanks for the meal," Sonny mumbled before taking a bite of his sandwich.


End file.
